The only "full-blown jousting" at the Stade de France on Saturday will take place in the pivotal front-row tussle, according to Ireland prop Mike Ross.

Ireland's tighthead recalls horseback knights producing a mediaeval-themed pitch-side display when Harlequins battled with Stade Francais at France's national stadium but the 34-year-old knows full well France's under-fire forwards are in no mood for sideshows in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations title decider.

Ross's Gallic counterpart Nicolas Mas stormed out of a press conference on Tuesday, bemoaning questions on France's inability to adapt to the revised scrummaging laws.

The Montpellier man labelled the scrum like "a child that has lost its bearings".

Ireland have capitalised on the new scrum engagement sequence, the shorter hit benefitting their compact but powerful front-row.

Leinster front-rower Ross said Ireland have swapped the "sledgehammer" for the "vice" in a bid to dominate the revamped set-piece.

"I remember one year I was over there with Harlequins for a European Cup match against Stade Francais, and they had full-blown jousting on the sidelines.

"I doubt that's going to happen this weekend, we'd be more concerned with their short, squat front-row.

"I know Thomas Domingo quite well having played against him so many times over the years.

"He's a good lad and I'll probably have a beer with him afterwards, but when he's on the pitch he'll try to get into you.

"He's short, squat, he'll try to get under you and take you up, and on the far side then you've got Nicolas Mas who's a fairly well-capped veteran at this stage and I think he's been playing quite well, having watched a bit of him.